Clothing
Slaves were given one set of clothes for the year usually around Christmastime. Depending on what job and how old the slave was would determine the quality of clothes. If you were a field slave you would get a few extra layers to stay warm in the winter. If you were older and couldn't work in the fields that wasn't given. Often house slaves would get the hand-me-downs of the owner and mistress.
Housing Often slave quarters would be a log cabins with dirt floors. Most owners thought that their slaves were uncivilized and dirty therefore not benefiting from the improvements (rarely would slave quarters get upgrades). Slave houses would be behind the big house and usually hidden. Slaves would sleep on wooden beds and be chained just prior to lights out. Slave quarters were often way too small for how many people would be in them.
Nutrition
Slaves were underfed to say the least! Many slaves would starve because they got such low amounts of food. Usually the food would contain corn meal, lard, some meat, molasses, peas, and flour, but there were many other recipes. Sickness was a problem because some of the food was old or sour and others were infected to begin with. You would think that owners would feed slaves more fully so they could have more energy and preform better in the fields, yet all slaves were given the same amount. One thing that helped slaves was they would farm their own food. Masters would give a small area of land for slaves to grow things that might be needed such as fruit. Also on Christmas slaves would receive the best meal of the year. Most people call it soul food. Though saves were given that they still received an inadequate amount of food. 47
The book that we read, 47, slaves live in the year 1832. 1832 is the Antebellum time of the USA. Antebellum means before the civil war. The book gives examples of all the paragraphs I have written and helped me understanding slavery.
Life of Slaves in Antebellum America
ClothingSlaves were given one set of clothes for the year usually around Christmastime. Depending on what job and how old the slave was would determine the quality of clothes. If you were a field slave you would get a few extra layers to stay warm in the winter. If you were older and couldn't work in the fields that wasn't given. Often house slaves would get the hand-me-downs of the owner and mistress.
Housing
Often slave quarters would be a log cabins with dirt floors. Most owners thought that their slaves were uncivilized and dirty therefore not benefiting from the improvements (rarely would slave quarters get upgrades). Slave houses would be behind the big house and usually hidden. Slaves would sleep on wooden beds and be chained just prior to lights out. Slave quarters were often way too small for how many people would be in them.
Nutrition
Slaves were underfed to say the least! Many slaves would starve because they got such low amounts of food. Usually the food would contain corn meal, lard, some meat, molasses, peas, and flour, but there were many other recipes. Sickness was a problem because some of the food was old or sour and others were infected to begin with. You would think that owners would feed slaves more fully so they could have more energy and preform better in the fields, yet all slaves were given the same amount. One thing that helped slaves was they would farm their own food. Masters would give a small area of land for slaves to grow things that might be needed such as fruit. Also on Christmas slaves would receive the best meal of the year. Most people call it soul food. Though saves were given that they still received an inadequate amount of food.
47
The book that we read, 47, slaves live in the year 1832. 1832 is the Antebellum time of the USA. Antebellum means before the civil war. The book gives examples of all the paragraphs I have written and helped me understanding slavery.